Tarique Rahman, the BNP’s Acting Chairman, has applied for travel permission to return to Bangladesh on December 25, according to party and diplomatic sources.
According to sources in the United Kingdom, Tarique Rahman applied to the Bangladesh High Commission in London. Sources confirm that the Bangladesh High Commission in London has already formally received the application.
Tarique Rahman has lived in the United Kingdom for the past several years, having left Bangladesh for medical treatment. His Bangladeshi passport was expired, and he had not applied for renewal following the fall of the Awami League government last year. As a result, he needs a one-time travel document to return as a Bangladeshi citizen.
Last month, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain stated that there were no legal obstacles to Tarique Rahman’s return and that a travel permit could be obtained within a day if necessary.
Under current regulations, Bangladeshi citizens without a valid passport who want to return home receive a one-time travel pass.
Tarique Rahman was detained following the political events of 2007 and freed from prison in 2008 before flying to the United Kingdom with his family for medical treatment. He has remained in Britain since then.
Tarique Rahman is set to arrive in Dhaka on December 25th, aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight that will land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:55am.
The BNP is planning a large-scale reception to commemorate what it calls a historic homecoming. Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the Party Standing Committee, said preparations were underway to make the occasion memorable.
“We want his return to surpass all past precedents and remain unmatched in the years to come,” he told reporters.
Tarique Rahman’s mother, BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has been getting treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since November 23. Tarique Rahman may pay her a personal visit when he arrives, according to party leaders.
According to BNP officials, they are considering suitable locations near the airport and Evercare Hospital for welcome celebrations upon his return.
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